WASHINGTON, D.C. — Lizzie Bailey, Pennsylvania State Grange Communications and Membership Director and member of Cumberland Valley Grange, met today with representatives from Sen. Pat Toomey’s office to discuss several issues central to rural Pennsylvanians.
Bailey, of Shippensburg, who is a participant in the National Grange’s Legislative Fly-In, said the meeting, in which she discussed the 2013 Farm Bill, rural health care and broadband, and postal reform, was successful.
Specifically, Bailey said the need for elected officials to support the expansion of rural broadband was most important to her.
“Whether I’m Skyping with farmers in Australia to learn best practices or emailing my local network of growers in my community, the internet is an important communication tool. Broadband opens up opportunities for education, work and endless networking for people in rural areas,” Bailey said.
The National Grange Fly-In is an annual event held to encourage members of the 145-year-old organization to speak directly to their elected officials about issues of importance to rural Americans and the agriculture sector.
The Fly-In began Sunday evening with a briefing by Joel White, President of Council for Affordable Health Care Coverage, on the status of the Affordable Care Act and ran through Tuesday. During the event, the National Grange and members proudly presented the first William Saunders Award for Rural Awareness to RAM for their Super Bowl Commercial, “God Made a Farmer.” Democratic Representative and Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee Collin Peterson also spoke to attendees about the status of the Farm Bill and expected developments in a Republican-controlled House.